Curriculum

All pupils from Calvi to Year 8 benefit from weekly music lessons taught by specialist teachers. The basic tenets of the curriculum are to develop musicality through singing, playing and listening. The voice, particularly in the younger years, is a natural vehicle for musical education. A core aural and vocal curriculum aims to build up musical skills sequentially, supplemented by work on tuned percussion instruments. Work on pitch, rhythm, pulse, phrase, musical structure, internalisation, listening, improvising, composing and performing are all features of the curriculum. All pupils learn the recorder, starting in Calvi and continuing through Year 3. Opportunities are offered for ICT work to support the practical syllabus.

Instrumental Work and Ensembles

All pupils learn the recorder in class, starting in Calvi and continuing through Year 3.

Our staff of visiting peripatetic teachers offers individual instrumental and singing lessons in a wide range of string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments as well as singing and piano. Currently there are over 150 individual lessons each week. Pupils are prepared for music exams conducted by the recognised bodies, eg Associated Board and Trinity Guildhall, and there are numerous successes in these each term.

There is also considerable scope for instrumentalists and singers to develop their musicality through playing and singing in ensembles. We have weekly rehearsals of an orchestra, two choirs, wind band, flute choir, recorder group, two string groups, a rock band and occasional chamber music groups. These ensembles offer opportunities for the musically able to hone the skills so vital to their musical development as well as exercises in teamwork and the sheer enjoyment of making music with others.